Klargester BA BioDisc Servicing in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

Caledonia Environmental recently carried out a routine annual service on a Klargester BA BioDisc sewage treatment plant at a property in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire.

The BioDisc was found to be in good overall mechanical condition, with healthy biological growth across the rotating disc pack and both alarm systems operating correctly.

During the visit, we completed a full mechanical and electrical inspection, stripped and cleaned both bearings, inspected the drive system, tightened the rotor clamps and thoroughly pressure-washed the plant.

Although no immediate mechanical repairs were required, the service highlighted two important maintenance points: an incorrectly fitted drive-end bearing that remains under observation, and sludge and crust accumulation requiring the complete BioDisc to be emptied.

Klargester BA BioDisc Routine Service

The Klargester BA BioDisc is a rotating biological contactor sewage treatment plant. The rotating discs support biological growth that helps break down wastewater during the treatment process.

Regular servicing allows the drive system, bearings, motor gearbox, alarm equipment and general treatment condition to be inspected.

On this visit, the rotating disc pack was covered in thick, chocolate-brown biological growth, indicating an established treatment process.

No abnormal odours or excessive grease build-up were identified.

BioDisc Drive Belt, Pulleys and Mechanical Inspection

The BioDisc operates using a small belt-driven system, which was thoroughly inspected during the service.

The drive belt had been replaced during the previous year's service and remained in good condition. It was removed, inspected and refitted, with belt tension and drive alignment confirmed satisfactory.

Both the top and bottom pulleys were inspected and found to be in good condition.

The rotor shaft and disc pack were checked, and all rotor clamps were inspected and tightened.

No immediate mechanical defects were identified.

Drive-End Bearing Inspection – Incorrect Bearing Arrangement

One important observation from this service relates to the bearing arrangement on the drive-end side of the BioDisc.

During last year's service, we identified that a previous contractor had installed a split bearing in a position where a complete bearing would normally be fitted.

Split bearings are commonly used on the non-drive-end side of these BioDisc systems, but the drive-end position would normally use a complete bearing arrangement.

As part of this year's service, the drive-end bearing was stripped, cleaned and thoroughly inspected for signs of abnormal wear, excessive movement or deterioration.

Fortunately, no abnormal wear or movement was identified, and the bearing remains serviceable.

There is no immediate requirement to replace it. However, its condition has been recorded and will continue to be monitored during future services.

Non-Drive-End Bearing Servicing

The non-drive-end bearing was also stripped, cleaned and inspected during the service.

The bearing was found to be in good condition, with no abnormal wear or deterioration reported.

Regular bearing maintenance is an important part of BioDisc servicing, helping identify developing mechanical issues before they result in more serious failures.

Both bearings were confirmed serviceable following inspection.

Electrical Inspection and Alarm Testing

Electrical checks were completed as part of the routine service.

• Incoming supply voltage: 246V AC
• Motor running current: 0.553A
• Loss of rotation alarm: Tested and operational
• Loss of power alarm: Tested and operational

No electrical defects were reported during the inspection.

Healthy Biological Growth Across the Rotating Disc Pack

The rotating discs had thick, chocolate-brown biological growth, indicating a healthy and established treatment process.

The disc pack itself was also inspected and found to be in good condition.

No abnormal odours or excessive grease accumulation were identified.

Full BioDisc Pressure Wash and Tank Inspection

As part of the routine maintenance, the BioDisc was thoroughly pressure-washed.

Cleaning the tank walls allowed us to inspect for cracks, structural deterioration and other visible defects.

No structural defects were reported during the inspection.

Sludge and Crust Levels – Tank Emptying Required

Sludge and crust levels were measured in both settlement chambers during the service.

Primary settlement chamber:

• Crust depth: 250mm
• Sludge depth: 300mm

Final settlement chamber:

• Crust depth: 200mm
• Sludge depth: 250mm

These readings indicate that the BioDisc now requires complete desludging.

As sludge and floating crust accumulate, the available settlement capacity within the treatment plant is reduced. If left unaddressed, this can eventually affect the quality of the treated effluent.

The customer has therefore been advised to arrange for both the primary and final settlement chambers to be emptied.

The Klargester BA BioDisc has an approximate tank capacity of 2,600 litres. This information can be provided to the tanker contractor when arranging the empty.

Desludging was recommended during this visit; it was not carried out as part of the routine service.

Maintenance Completed During the Service

• Drive belt removed, inspected and refitted
• Top and bottom pulleys inspected
• Both bearings stripped, cleaned and inspected
• Incorrect drive-end bearing arrangement checked
• Rotor shaft and disc pack inspected
• Rotor clamps checked and tightened
• Drive system alignment checked
• Motor electrical readings recorded
• Loss of rotation and loss of power alarms tested
• Full BioDisc pressure wash completed
• Tank walls cleaned and inspected
• Sludge and crust levels measured

No replacement parts were required during this service.

Final Condition and Recommendations

Overall, the Klargester BA BioDisc was in good mechanical condition, with healthy biological growth and both alarm systems operating correctly.

No immediate mechanical or electrical repairs were required.

The customer has been advised to arrange complete desludging of the treatment plant, including both settlement chambers.

The incorrectly fitted drive-end bearing remains serviceable, with no abnormal wear identified, and will continue to be monitored during future maintenance visits.

Annual servicing is recommended to ensure that the drive system, bearings, electrical equipment, alarms and sludge levels continue to be checked regularly.

Klargester BioDisc Servicing in Strathaven and South Lanarkshire

Caledonia Environmental provides Klargester BioDisc servicing, maintenance, fault finding and repairs throughout Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow and across Scotland.

Our services include:

• Klargester BioDisc servicing and maintenance
• Drive belt and pulley inspections and replacements
• BioDisc bearing inspection and replacement
• Rotor shaft and clamp inspections
• Motor gearbox and electrical fault finding
• Loss of rotation and loss of power alarm testing
• Sludge level inspections and maintenance recommendations
• Routine servicing and mechanical repairs

Whether your BioDisc is due its annual service or you're experiencing mechanical or electrical issues, contact Caledonia Environmental to discuss your requirements.